Lindsey Graham called Monday for President Donald Trump to take stronger military action against Iran, arguing that Tehran’s latest conduct and refusal to negotiate seriously require an immediate response from Washington.

In a message posted on X, Graham said Iran has continued escalating tensions across the region despite suffering significant military and economic damage during the conflict involving the United States and Israel.

“I have every confidence that President Trump fully understands the situation with Iran and will not continue to tolerate a refusal to negotiate in good faith along with Iran’s defiant aggression in the Strait of Hormuz and throughout the region,” Graham wrote.

The South Carolina Republican said Iran’s regime has only become more confrontational despite the pressure it has faced in recent months.

“A short but forceful response now would reset the conflict in all the right ways,” Graham added. “When it comes to Iran, it is imperative that we negotiate from a position of strength and dominance. We must finish what we started.”

Graham’s remarks came as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran appeared to be stalling, with both sides remaining far apart on key issues tied to Iran’s nuclear program and regional aggression.

Trump warned Sunday that time was rapidly running out for Iran after rejecting what he reportedly viewed as an unacceptable response to a proposed peace framework from the White House.

“For Iran, the clock is ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump also recently characterized the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran as being on “life support” amid rising instability throughout the Middle East, according to a report by The Hill.

The ongoing confrontation has also shaken global energy markets, particularly following disruptions tied to Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes. The tensions have driven oil and gas prices sharply upward.

According to AAA, the national average price for regular gasoline reached approximately $4.52 per gallon on Monday, compared to roughly $3.18 during the same period last year.

Drivers in California were reportedly paying an average of more than $6 per gallon.

Appearing Sunday on Meet the Press on NBC News, Graham reiterated his argument that military pressure on Iran should be intensified, saying the regime remains committed to sponsoring terrorism and destabilizing the region.

“The longer the Strait of Hormuz is closed, the more we try to pursue a deal that never happens, the stronger Iran gets,” Graham said.

While praising Trump’s military decisions so far, Graham argued that additional targets and pressure options remain available to the United States.

“What President Trump has done has been amazing militarily, but there’s more targets to be had, and there’s things we can do to hurt [Iran],” Graham said.

Trump has consistently maintained that Iran must never be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons, even as some Republicans have privately expressed concern that a prolonged conflict could hurt GOP candidates politically ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

Graham brushed aside those political concerns during the NBC interview.

“It’s worth losing my job,” Graham told NBC News. “If I had to give my job up to make sure Iran would never have a nuclear weapon, I would do it.”

{Matzav.com}